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I'm being asked several times daily about pre-emergent applications types and timing.

It started clear back in January, fully seven weeks before the proper time for the person who was asking he was from DFW. And, it has continued on almost without break ever since.

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Here are the things you'll need to remember, all laid out in order that hopefully will help make them more understandable. Feel free to print this and save it.

Consider these facts

Pre-emergent means before the weed emerges. In other words, before it germinates.

This is only referring to annual weeds (those that complete their life cycles in one growing season), not those that return from their roots.

There are two main categories of annual weeds. "Cool-season" weeds germinate in early fall and do all of their growing while the weather is cool. "Warm-season" weeds germinate in the spring and do all of their growing in late spring, summer and into the fall.

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First application to stop warm-season weeds (primarily crabgrass and grassburs): two weeks prior to the average date of your last killing freeze in your area. See map from Page 3 of Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening.

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Follow-up application to stop warm-season weeds (primarily crabgrass and grassburs): 90 days after the first application. This "booster shot" is absolutely essential. Pre-emergent products are effective for approximately 100 days, but our Texas growing season is much longer than that. Without the second treatment you will get a late germination of many weed seeds. Note that this second treatment is useless if you neglected to make the first application in a timely manner.

Application to prevent cool-season weeds of winter and early spring: Must be made last week of August or first week of September pretty much all across Texas. Just the one treatment is needed, but timing is critical.

To prevent annual grassy weeds such as crabgrass and grassburs (both warm-season) and annual bluegrass, rescuegrass and ryegrass (cool-season): Dimension, Halts or Balan granules.

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To prevent annual broadleafed weeds such as henbit, chickweed and clover (primarily cool-season): Gallery granules.

Note: You do not get a second chance to control grassy weeds. There is no herbicide that will give post-emergent control of a weed grass within turfgrass without harming the turf. However, with broadleafed weeds, if you do get germination of some weeds after applying the pre-emergent, you can spray with a 2,4-D type broadleafed weedkiller spray.

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Finally a word about "weed-and-feed" products. They can be very risky, enough so that I have chosen not to advertise for them. The herbicide Atrazine is a common ingredient in products intended for use on St. Augustine, and it can do serious damage to trees.

Add to that the fact that you often do not need to "feed" at the same time that you "weed" and add to that the fact that you may not need to "weed" your entire lawn anyway.

It's my opinion that for the small extra effort, it's really worth it just to make an extra pass or two over the lawn at the appropriate times to apply additional products.

Posted by Neil Sperry

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Picard said:

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All that and he still didn't tell us when to apply it.

Just give me a week number of the year!

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Sorry, but I received this update from Neil on the 1st and totally forgot to post it here...

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March 1, 2019

Updated and urgent e-gardens!

Reacting to the upcoming weather

Because Texas weather is only going to get colder over this coming weekend, I've decided to send out a special issue of e-gardens as an alert.

Check your local forecast!

Significant parts of Texas are expected to drop into single digits, the teens and the 20s - temperatures we almost never see this late in the winter and early spring.

It's going to be above freezing for a day or so in most of the state before the coldest air blows in, so if you have dry plants, get them watered while you can.

Then remember to disconnect all hoses and drain then. Take sprinklers back into the garage. Put your sprinkler system back into the "Off" position.

What to do now

If it's expected to drop below 28 where you are, potted annual color ought to be moved into an unheated garage until temperatures moderate. Tropical plants should be moved back indoors.

Frost cloth (lightweight gauze-like material) can gain you 6-8 degrees of protection, plus it shelters your plants from the harsh north winds, but it only works if you pull it over the plants and secure it firmly to the ground all around.

Do not use plastic to cover plants. It heats up too rapidly when the sun hits it, and severe damage will be done.

It is not practical to try to cover trees that are blooming. You'll end up breaking their branches. Accept your losses. As I mentioned in last night's e-gardens, peach (and plum and pear) trees that are already in bud and bloom and that are exposed to sub-freezing temperatures for several hours will probably not bear fruit this year. Home gardeners definitely should not try heroic measures to protect the flowers.

Entire home orchards have been ruined by people trying to add heat or "mist" with lawn sprinklers only to break limbs from the weight of the ice. Don't go there.

On the other hand, if you have annual or perennial beds or shrub plantings that are in flower, you can probably cover those. However, use sturdy stakes to keep the weight of the frost cloth from pushing down on the blooms.

Timing of pre-emergent applications

This cold spell throws these applications back by 1 to 2 weeks. Along the Gulf Coast you can still make
them once temperatures moderate next week.

However, for the rest of the state, summer weeds are certainly not going to start to germinate anytime soon. The soil is way too cold. I'll have details on timing in next week's regular e-gardens, but know for sure that your application of Dimension, Halts or Balan is delayed by 1 to 2 weeks.

Thanks to our e-gardens sponsors
Arborilogical Services
Dallas Plumbing
Lentz Landscape Lighting
North Texas Ace Hardware

Neil Sperry

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I'm just going to lead with that important part of this weekend's activity. If you're between Huntsville/College Station/San Antonio and the Red River it's time to apply Dimension, Halts or Balan to prevent germination of crabgrass and grassburs. North of that line, your time will come in about 10 days.

Repeat the treatment 90 days later as a "booster shot" because of Texas' long summer growing season.

I suggest mowing your lawn first, then applying the granules. Water moderately to soak the granules into the surface of the soil.

Note: If you have a lawn service company doing this work for you, they may have a slightly different schedule. Trust them, knowing that they can't get to all of their customers at the same time. They also have access to different materials.

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Txmoe said:

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gigem70 said:

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Neil is The Man when it comes to Texas horticulture.

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You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think!

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jt2hunt said:

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I out out premergent 3 weeks ago
South Dallas
Should I put it out again this week and then again in 90 days?

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John N said:

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.....Flush ac condensate line with Clorox and bleach......

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John N said:

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In the dfw area I set my calendar reminders for:


March 1
Apply pre emerg. Apply fertilizer a few weeks later.
Change ac filters
Flush ac condensate line with Clorox and bleach

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helgs said:

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John N said:

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In the dfw area I set my calendar reminders for:


March 1
Apply pre emerg. Apply fertilizer a few weeks later.
Change ac filters
Flush ac condensate line with Clorox and bleach

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That's likely too early for pre emergent in DFW. I generally shoot for mid March. If you put it down too early it won't be effective when the seeds actually start to germinate.

In fact, we just had our last freeze March 5/6 in DFW, meaning your preemergent application was likely too early (if you actually did it on the 1st).

You might want to make that reminder March 15 or something.

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Van Buren Boy said:

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Is it too late to put out pre-emergent in Dallas if I do it today?

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jtraggie99 said:

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Van Buren Boy said:

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Is it too late to put out pre-emergent in Dallas if I do it today?

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Not at all. I'm in McKinney and just put my down on Saturday.

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rebel06 said:

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Calloway's told me to fertilize 2 weeks after applying pre-emergent.

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Southlake said:

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Neil just altered his not before date for this year to March 20. But then he said if you've already applied you PE then it's ok.

So there's that. And I guess I can put it off another few days.

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gvine07 said:

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I put mine down Sunday. When should I fertilize? I'm in Carrollton.

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Question: When do I need to fertilize?

Answer: There are lots of variables, including type of grass, amount of rainfall and location within Texas. If your grass is pale and sluggish at a time of year when it should be growing more vigorously, that's when you should think about feeding it. If bermuda or St. Augustine are producing seed heads, you probably need to fertilize. Most of the quality fertilizers will last for 8 to 12 weeks, some even longer.

For most warm-season grasses (St. Augustine, bermuda, zoysia, etc.) you could fertilize April 1, June 1, August 1 and October 1 in most of the state.

In far North Texas you could probably get by with three feedings April 15, June 15 and September 15.

If you have had a problem with gray leaf spot in St. Augustine you should probably not feed the grass during the middle of the summer.Gray leaf spot is a hot-weather disease, and it is accelerated by the addition of nitrogen during mid-summer. The September or very early October feeding is one of the really critical elements of good lawn management for any type of turf, so don't forget it.

Cool-season grasses, by comparison, such as fescue and ryegrass, are fertilized in September, November, late February and early April.

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